Railway-switch work



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A. J. MOXHAM. A RAILWAY SWITCH WORK.

No. 540,796. Patented June 11,1895.

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A. J. MOXHAM. RAILWAY SWITCH WORK.

Patented June' 11, 1895.

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*NITE ARTHUR J. MOXHAM, OFYJ'OHNS'FOVN, PENNSYLVANIA.

RAILWAY-SWITCH WORK.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 540,796, dated June 1 1, 1895.

Application tiled March 30, 1894,

Tall whom t may concern.-

Be it known that I, ARTHUR J. MoxHAM, of Johnstown, county of Cambria, State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvementin Railway-Switch Work,'ot' which the following speciication is a true and exact description, due reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

My invention relates to those structuresin railway tracks such as mates, crosses or similar structures in which two or more rails converge, forming what is known as a point.. This point is a source of much trouble on account of the excessivewear which takes place there due to the fact that the head of the rail reducing in width does not afford the same amount of bearing surface to the wheel as where the railfis Whole.' In the case of a crossing where there is a groove through the head of the rail for thepassage of the flange of-a. wheel traveling iipon the crossing track, and a floor portion or a riser upon which the wheel flange rolls to carry it across the groove, this door portion is subjected to great wearv on account of the narrow edge thatthe Wheel flange presents for a bearing upon it.

The object of my invention is to provide a structure in which that portion subject to this excessive wear may be made of more durable. material than the remainder of the structure, and so inserted therein as to be removable, either for realignment or replacing when worn To form the Ientire structure of this more. durable material or to harden the entire surface of it would be costly and difficult, but a small portion of it may be so treated and then inserted in the body of the structure thus effecting a large saving in the construction of the switch piece.

Referring to the drawings, Figure 1 showsa mate, and Fig. 2 a frog, each in perspective and embodying my invention.v Fig. 3 isatop View of the frog, Fig. `2. Fig. 4 is a section online WV W, and Fig. 5 a section on line X X, both of Fig. 3. Fig. 6 is a top view of the mate, Fig. l. Fig. 7 is a section on lineY Y, and Fig. 8 a section on line ZZ, both of Fig. 6.

As shown, the central portion A having a pocket adapted to receive the plate B is formed by casting it with short projections to which the rails C are welded as at d Fig. 8, or

Serial No. 505,764. (No model.)

instead of welding rails thereto the projections may be formed long enough to bejoined to the abutting track rails by means 'of the usual splice bars and bolts. formed with two sides inclined, as shown in Fig. 4t, so that it is larger at the bottom than at the top. The plate B is also formed wedge shaped, and when inserted in the pocket I pour molten zinc E in the space between the plate and the walls of the pocket. This zinc when its hardens secures the plate firmly in place. Iv prefer Zinc because in hardening it expands and so more Iirmly secures the plate;

Vbut instead of zinc any suitable substance The pocket is tapered one used in the mate Fig. l, as it may.

be rolled in long lengths or bars having th proper taper on the sides. The plates may be then cut from the bar to the length desired. The grooves on the face of the plate for the car wheel may be made in any suitable man ner, as milling or planing, and is preferably done beforethe plate is secured in the structure.

When at any time it becomes desirable to remove the plate it is readily done by cutting away the zinc at E and lifting the plate out; or, instead of cutting the zinc out the plate might be heated sufficiently to melt it and so allow the removal of the plate.

If desired the plate B may be made of a steel capable of being hardened, and the top surface of it may be case hardened or otherwise rendered more durable before putting it in place, or the plate may be made of cast iron having a chilled top surface. Thus a switch piece is `formed having a hardened and more durable surface at the point subjected to the greatest wear, andthe life of the struct-l ure is thereby prolonged.

Instead of forming the sides of the plate and pocket sloping they may be corrugated or roughen'ed, the object of it being to cause the zinc to exert a holding down force upony the plate.

Should the plate become loose from any cause the soft zinc may be tamped in with a calking iron and thus made to tighten the plate.

IOO

2. In a railway switch structure in combination with a body portion having' a pocket, a plate in said pocket having track surfaces formed thereon and a filling material between the plate and the sides of the pocket.4

In testimony whereof I have affixed my nature in presence of two witnesses.

ARTHUR J. MOXIIAM.

Witnesses:

WM. A. DoNALDsoN, D. BRYAN. 

